


Tell Me Where It Hurts

by rosesmallow



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant - Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Poe Dameron Needs To Rest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28965105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosesmallow/pseuds/rosesmallow
Summary: Poe prepares for the flight to Takodana, but he's ambushed by Resistance medic Major Kalonia due to the tiny fact that he hasn't gotten his injuries from the Finalizer treated yet.
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Harter Kalonia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Tell Me Where It Hurts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [braigwen_s](https://archiveofourown.org/users/braigwen_s/gifts).



> I think about Poe's injuries in The Force Awakens...entirely too often and I scream about them to my friends even more so. I finally, FINALLY, broke down and shoved a bunch of screenshots at Braigwen and asked if they thought Poe had even visited the medbay and they reassured me that it looked like, Yes he did get at least minor treatment for them, which then prompted me to picture Kalonia dragging his ass to the medbay aND HERE WE ARE WITH RESISTANCE FOUND FAMILY FEELINGS.

He found more bruises than he expected to when he returned to his quarters after Leia dismissed him to prepare for the flight to Takodana. 

Getting out of the remainder of his ragged and torn shirt had proved more difficult than he wanted to admit (there had been some wheezing) and he winced as he found a constellation of bruises scattered along his torso. Without thinking, Poe lightly pressed his fingers to one and hissed as pain shot through it. 

He still hadn't been to medbay. 

There hadn't been time yet and he wasn't keen on the idea in general: he had to stay  _ still _ if he was in the medbay and staying still was the last thing Poe wanted to do because then the memories he was trying not to think of might finally catch him.

No, he could push through this.

He grabbed a long-sleeved tee shirt and tugged it over his head as gently as he could. Next came the flight suit, which he barely had to concentrate to get on: it was second nature now.

The bruises officially covered — out of sight out of mind — and his boots on, Poe turned to head out but stilled as he caught sight of his reflection. He looked... _ different.  _

Maybe it was the gashes that littered one cheek or the injury that was still inflamed on the corner of his forehead or maybe it was something entirely different, but he didn't look the same. 

But then again, Poe mused as he exited the room, he didn't  _ feel _ the same either. 

Shaking off the thought, he began his march to the landing strip, where  _ Black One  _ was waiting. A temporary reassignment droid had been offered to him but he'd refused: they were going to Takodana to get Beebee-Ate, after all. Beebee-Ate would be back with him soon enough, there wasn't any reason to assign him a new astromech yet.

“Dameron!”

Poe shut his eyes and debated how fast he could sprint to his ship in his current state, even as he slowed his stride to turn around to find Major Kalonia approaching him at a steady clip, medical supplies in hand.

“Major, can I help you with something?" Poe greeted as he plastered what he hoped was a winning smile that could charm his way out of a medical evaluation. He was sore as shit, yes, but he knew his limits: he could fly to Takodana, no problem. 

Kalonia fixed him with an unimpressed stare that made him shift his weight awkwardly under the weight of it. She was a sweet-tempered woman but as everyone on the base knew, she had a backbone of pure beskar. “I think it would be the other way around, Commander. Leia informed me of your recent... _ adventure, _ so kindly explain to me why in maker's name you are not currently in my medbay?”

“We're being dispatched to Takodana,” Poe answered slowly, already feeling as though this wasn't the correct answer he should be giving. 

Kalonia folded her arms and hummed in disapproval. “Tell me, Dameron, if one of your pilots was recently captured and tortured for a handful of days, would you allow them to immediately jump into an X-Wing without  _ at least  _ a minor medical evaluation?" 

Poe silently worked his mouth a few times, trying to string a coherent defense together but he had none because they both knew he would've just grounded the pilot. Instead, he finally said, “I'm fine, Major. It's just a couple of scrapes and bruises, I've had worse.”  _ Like being stabbed.  _ “I'm sure you've got other patients who need more help than I do.”

Another smile and he began to walk away, but he didn't get very far when something yanked him backward: not hard, not even enough to jostle his head, just enough to surprise him. Poe choked out a swear and craned his neck to find that Kalonia had grabbed the back of his flight suit with a vice-like grip to hold him in place.

She released him, sidestepped him so she was in front of him and Poe found himself wanting to look at anything  _ but _ her. The amount of concern on her face was almost unbearable and it made him think of the reflection he'd found staring back at him.

Everything was easy for Poe Dameron, right? That was his  _ thing _ . He was used to General Organa being able to see right through his facade, but Kalonia was a shock to his system. Snap, Karé and the rest of Black Squadron almost always bought it without question and he'd known them for  _ years _ , had grown up familiar with Snap. 

Was the cracks starting to show so badly that even Kalonia could see how he was barely keeping it together? 

“It isn't a competition of who has it  _ worse _ , Poe. Perhaps I do have patients that are more injured than you, but those are  _ their  _ injuries, not yours. What hurts you isn't any less important than what hurts them.” She reached out and gently brushed his hair out of the way so she could inspect the large bruise that bloomed across his head. Kalonia's expression twisted in sympathy.

To his immense horror, Poe's vision blurred around the edges and his chest grew tight. After days of being beaten, of having some brute rip carelessly through his head, of crashing in the middle of nowhere - this small gesture of kindness and gentleness was almost enough to shatter him. 

Kalonia seemed to realize this because she quickly retracted her hand, and smiled kindly at a passing pilot so Poe could duck his head and compose himself. 

Once he'd straightened back up, Kalonia tried again, this time with a more diplomatic approach. “We can wait til you return for a full evaluation but at least let me disinfect these gashes before you leave.”

Poe bounced on his heels, eyes tracking down toward the landing strip again, to Black One, and the empty spot where Beebee-Ate should have been — where he  _ would _ be, soon enough. 

He was  _ really _ fucking sore. 

Poe gave a quick, almost imperceptible nod, still finding it hard to breathe. He wasn't sure if that was from his tender ribs or from emotion, but it made speaking even more difficult. He finally managed to get out, “Okay, Major.”

Kalonia smiled, a broad sunny and kind one that immediately made him feel less overwhelmed. She patted him gently on his shoulder, then wrapped an arm around his back to guide him toward the medbay. “There's no need for formalities, Poe, you can call me Harter. After all, we're all family here.”

Poe choked out a noise that might've been somewhere between an appreciative laugh or a touched sob. “Got it. Thank you, Harter.”

Maybe the medbay wasn't such a bad place after all.


End file.
